Joel Armstrong, a loan officer at the Sterling Savings in downtown Spokane, Washington, became known as the "Duck Man" when he saved a gaggle clutch of ducklings from plunging from their nest on a 12-foot-high ledge to the hard pavement below:

“I think she thinks it’s a safe place,” Armstrong said, though he later admitted he doesn’t think like a duck. “It gets good sun. There are no predators. If she nested in the park in the weeds, the marmots might find her.”

Just one problem. After the ducklings hatch, they have to leap off the 12-foot-high ledge onto the pavement to make their trek to the water.

Or at least they would, if Armstrong weren’t there to help. The ducklings began hatching about 5:30 p.m. Friday. The Sterling loan officer started his duck watch at 5:30 a.m. Saturday. He wanted to be there to catch the ducklings as they jumped off the ledge.

Jody Lawrence-Turner of The Spokeman-Review has more: Link | Hit play or go to Link [YouTube]

It has to be said that little ducks were in no real danger. Throwing chickens of same age from the same height causes them no harm. You can watch the video where a machine throws thousands of chickens (in a farm) from approx. the same height as here and they land just fine. Looks cruel but it is probably no big deal for them.

Just FYI... this is the 2nd time this has happened.The first time, 1 of the ducklings had jumped off the ledge and smacked in to the pavement before the guy could get to it. It was ok, but clearly stunned.So the guy came out and caught the rest as they jumped.He put them in to a box and helped move them to the lake or pond or wherever.